Bangladesh EC unveils action plan for conducting polls before 2026 Ramzan

Dhaka: The Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) on Thursday announced the electoral action plan setting timelines to complete all measures needed to conduct the 13th parliamentary polls before Ramzan in February, next year.

As per the plan unveiled by EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, timeframes have been set for different works related to holding elections like creating electoral rolls, registration of new political parties, delimitation of parliamentary constituencies, updating the guidelines for observers and journalists, printing of election manual, directives, poster and identity cards, conducting training activities, creating translucent ballot boxes and poll material ready, preparation of poll budget, setting up polling stations, issues related to law and order and announcement of poll results, Bangladesh’s leading daily Dhaka Tribune reported.

Ahmed stated that the action plan outlines how the polling body would conduct polls before the next Ramzan (February 2026) as per the directive sent by the Chief Advisor’s office. However, the action plan did not reveal specific timeframe for the announcement of the election schedule.

He said, “We were told through a letter from the Chief Advisor’s Office to arrange the election before the next Ramadan (February 2026)…. So, we are today informing you of our action plan. Targetting the next national election, we’ve prepared our action plan by dividing these (our actions) into 24 sections by and large.”

As per the action plan, the talks with stakeholders, including political parties, civil society members, election experts, journalists, observers and students from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, will start in the last week of September and dialogue will be concluded within the next 1.5 months.

On August 25, Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus said that the country is ready to hold polls in the first half of February, next year. He stated that the interim government will be replaced by an elected government.

During his address at the ‘Stakeholders’ Dialogue’ in Cox’s Bazar, Yunus said, “We announced the election in the first half of February 2026…the interim government will be replaced by an elected government.”

Yunus stated that Bangladesh has reached a “stable enough” position and is ready to hold polls, United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported. Representatives from governments, United Nations agencies and international organisations were present during the event.

During the event, Yunus said, “Now, we are ready for another transition in our political history. We have announced the time for the election. It’s just about a year back, we had the uprising and the country has come to this stable enough position and ready to have the election.”

Bangladesh has been gripped by uncertainty over the next General Elections since the democratically-elected government of Awami League, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was overthrown during violent protests last year. The parties that collaborated with Yunus to remove Hasina are now at loggerheads over reform proposals and the timing of the next polls.

IANS